NEWS RELEASE
Biosensors Starts Shipments of AxxionTM and Boosts
European Distribution Network
Agreements Established In Key Markets to Accelerate Drug-Eluting Stent Sales;
Biosensors Expects to Capture Meaningful DES Market Share
Singapore, 30 August 2005 – Biosensors International Group, Ltd. (Bloomberg: BIG SP), today
announced several new agreements with leading medical device distributors in key European
cardiology markets. With a distribution reach of more than 15 countries in Europe, the three
agreements with Krauth Medical in Germany, Invatec in Italy and Palex Medica in Spain will
serve to strengthen Biosensors’ access to key European markets.
Mr Jeffrey B. Jump, Managing Director of Biosensors Europe commented: “We are pleased that
we have been able to attract top-tier distributors with proven track records of gaining significant
stent market shares in Europe. Biosensors’ agreements have the potential to generate
substantial sales of AxxionTM units in Germany, Italy and Spain at attractive prices to
Biosensors."
Dr Stefan Widensohler, CEO of Krauth Medical, and Vice Chairman of the German Federal
Association for Medical Technology said, “We are excited to have the opportunity to
commercialize AxxionTM in Germany, Europe’s largest market for cardiac stents. Krauth has
been instrumental in developing the European market for bare metal stents over the last 25
years. With AxxionTM, we look forward to continuing our tradition of distributing high-quality,
innovative devices in interventional cardiology.”
AxxionTM which elutes the Paclitaxel drug without using a polymer, became Biosensors’ first
drug-eluting stent (“DES”) to be launched within the European Union for the treatment of
coronary artery disease after it received Conformité Européene (“CE”) Mark for AxxionTM in mid
July 2005. Over just a month since its launch, Biosensors has already made several shipments
of AxxionTM into the European market. DES revenues have increased significantly as a result,
compared to the same period in the first quarter of FY2006.
“This favourable response over several weeks is very encouraging and is a testament of the
market potential for AxxionTM,” said Yoh-Chie Lu, Chairman and CEO of Biosensors. “We are
confident that these new distributors, coupled with the existing network will undoubtedly allow
Biosensors to capture a meaningful market share in the next 12 months while waiting for our
second and highly anticipated flagship DES, the BioMatrixTM. BioMatrixTM, which offers highly
differentiated product features including bioresorbable polymer, will offer even stronger market
appeal when it is launched.”
Prof Eberhard Grube, who presented Biosensors’ 12-month clinical trial results of its BioMatrixTM
DES (known as the STEALTH trial) at Euro PCR in May 2005, spoke strongly of its positive
clinical results and expressed confidence that the performance of BioMatrixTM is comparable, if
not better than competing products in the market.
The BioMatrixTM DES incorporates the Group’s proprietary anti-restenotic drug, Biolimus A9TM,
bioresorbable polymer, S-StentTM and stent delivery catheter, all of which have been developed
in-house. Biosensors believes that the use of a bioresorbable polymer can potentially reduce
concerns about the long term effects of polymer coatings. Biosensors submitted the BioMatrixTM
for CE Mark regulatory approval in April this year, and expects to receive it by the first half of
calendar 2006.
## End of Release ##
Media Contact Information
WeR1 Consultants Pte Ltd
Mona Leong / Stephen Chen / Reshma Jain
Tel
: (65) 6737 4844 / Hp: (65) 9187 4449
Email: monaleong@wer1.net / stephenchen@wer1.net / reshma@wer1.net
Biosensors International Group
Ms Tina Lim, Executive, Corporate Communications
Tel
: (65) 6213 5712
Email : tina@biosensors.com.sg
For investor related enquiries, please write to ir@biosensors.com.sg
About Biosensors International Group, Ltd.
Biosensors develops, manufactures and markets innovative medical devices used in interventional
cardiology and critical care procedures. Biosensors is well-positioned to emerge as a leader in drugeluting stents, an evolving therapy that is rapidly gaining market share from traditional therapies such as
bare-metal stenting and open-heart surgery. Biosensors has internally developed technology to address
each component of a drug-eluting stent system, including a stent, a stent delivery catheter, a
bioresorbable polymer and a proprietary anti-restenotic drug. It is pursuing two separate drug-eluting stent
TM
programs, BioMatrix™ and Axxion , and has licensed aspects of its drug-eluting stent technology to four
companies.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements herein include forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as “may,”
“will,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “project” or “continue” or the negative thereof or other similar words. All
forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, customer acceptance and market share
gains, competition from companies that have greater financial resources; introduction of new products into the marketplace by
competitors; successful product development; dependence on significant customers; the ability to recruit and retain quality
employees as Biosensors grows; and economic and political conditions globally. Actual results may differ materially from those
discussed in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this
release and Biosensors assumes no duty to update them to reflect new, changing or unanticipated events or circumstances.
Sponsorship statement: Citigroup Global Markets Singapore Pte. Ltd. was the Sole Global Co-ordinator and Sole Bookrunner,
Joint Lead Manager and Underwriter of the offering (the “Offering”) in respect of 185,434,000 shares of the Company pursuant to
the prospectus issued by the Company dated 22 April 2005. The Joint Lead Manager and Underwriter of the Offering was UBS
AG, acting through its business group UBS Investment Bank. The Joint Lead Manager, Local Coordinator and Underwriter for the
Offering was UOB Asia Limited.